Best strategy to go from not ranking into the top 3 in local area?

[twatson]

Lets say a GBP listing ranks in the top 3 in certain parts of a city but is nowhere to be found (past position 20) in other parts. Its primary category matches the category of the top listings and already has services listed. Is it possible for a business to be located somewhere in a city and rank in the top 3 in an area that is lets say....10 miles away? I always see case studies with a GBP that has position 1 ranking on the map all over the city.